Fog
by mitsune
Summary: When Ash, Misty and Brock decided to travel seperatly, it was not with good blessings. Years later, Ash still resents Misty, can he forget his anger and realize not all girls are Misty? What if the girl looks like Misty?
1. The Hat Wearing Boy

Disclaimer: Satoshi Tajiri and Nintendo and probably a few other corporations and people own the rights to people. For all I know, another owns the rights to this plot; it's not all that original. Rain could be called mine, but she could be called my dog's. Tasty chew toy perhaps. But I don't have a dog.  
  
"Perhaps it was because she acted the way I thought she should, or maybe it was because she didn't act at all."  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sunlight streamed down in small uneven patches on the forest floor. Sneakers crunched on dry leaves left from last autumn and laughs were heard in memories, not aloud. Anytime anyone opened their mouths to speak the only sound that came out were squeaks and stillborn apologies. Apologies would sound stupid if said audibly, but they still needed to be said. The trio only walked together anymore because it was the quickest way to get places. Deep hatred for one another coursed through their veins when they glanced at each other. Any happiness between them had been forgotten years ago, not wanting to be remembered.  
  
The orange-haired girl would watch the others make fools out of themselves and she used to silently laugh; now it made her angry and embarrassed that she even walked with them. One other, in return, remembered when the girl would remove him from potentially embarrassing situations, but now he just got angry that she always stopped him from making a fool out of himself. It wasn't fair.  
  
A campfire was lit that night and the three bedded down yards from each other, afraid that the others would murder them in the cover of night.  
  
"G'night," the hat wearing boy said, readying for an attack, but none came. The other two just ignored him, and he almost wished they had yelled at him. Early the next morning they reached the city and split. The boy had a feeling he'd never see his companions again, and it bothered him slightly. When he couldn't see his companions of late, he waved in that direction once. 


	2. Nurse Joy

Welcome to chapter two!  
  
Years later, he ran towards the nearest Pokémon Center, the only place he could think of going to. Luckily, the Center was on the outskirts of town. He didn't want to go through the town with his head down in shame because of all the anger he felt, it didn't matter that the shop owners didn't know that.  
  
Automatically, the glass doors opened when he walked into to the Pokémon Center. White furniture and a white floor all seemed to blend together, and the glass walls overlooked the ocean. His feet took him to the front desk where Nurse Joy was working on something.  
  
"Oh, hello Ash Ketchum," said Nurse Joy. The shock of her knowing his name died away quickly when he remembered that piece of paper stuffed in his pocket. A worthless slip of paper, but a slip of paper. "What would you like?"  
  
"I'd like you to tell me where the Pokémon Gym is," Ash replied. Nurse Joy gave him directions, and with a wave and thanks, Ash ran towards the Gym. Memories surged into his thoughts when he remembered when he did this last. Or really, when he found this fun. So long ago . . . the gym leaders we hard to beat and there was glory to winning, with friends to support you. But, now he didn't need support, and with no one to beat him, there was no glory in winning. As the Gym loomed up on him, Ash took a step back, suddenly apprehensive. A young woman with yellow hair was sitting on a bench next to the glassy building. Through a cloud of cigarette smoke, she stood and walked over to Ash.  
  
Smiling, she remarked, "You must be Ash Ketchum. Why would a Master want to fight a Gym Leader?" He scowled, and ignored the woman, walking into the building. 


	3. Not Misty

Enjoy your stay!  
  
The whole building was glassy like the outside. Every breath echoed on the walls and he dared not speak or his smallest whisper would deafen him. Out of an open door, a determined girl's voice came was heard. Ash peeked inside. A girl wearing jeans and a yellow tee shirt yelled attacks at a Golduck on a field. A scared looking boy tried to defend himself, but the attacks kept coming. A referee decided that the girl won. Recalling her Golduck, she walked away to the door Ash was at. Shocked, Ash jumped back, allowing the girl to enter the hallway.  
  
"Hello," she said, smiling. "Ignore Dahlia. She won't be normal until she has a cigarette or two." Short orange hair fell in spikes around her ears and shook when she spoke. Enormous aqua blue eyes stared hard into his face. The more he looked at her, the more she looked like Misty. With that, he scowled. He wanted no girl who looked like Misty in his sight again, he hated her. Every move she made was detestable; every smile she gave someone else annoyed him. His eyes swam until the girl's face was Misty's and she was barking at him. Hot fire broke through the dam he had tried to secure it in so he wouldn't yell at passing strangers and it coursed through him. Clenching his fists, he waited for the murderous feelings to pass. This girl wasn't Misty! "Want some tea? Lemonade? Coffee?" not-Misty said while walking away.  
  
Skipping to catch up, Ash replied, "Tea would be fine." Ash then had to catch up to the girl who was knowledgably walking quickly through the nondescript glass halls. The floor was smooth like a still pond, every step Ash felt like this one would break the surface and he'd drown. Finally, they reached a kitchen area, and the smooth tile was replaced by wood and the walls were painted in warm colors.  
  
"And this," she laughed, "is where we actually live." One of her hands hovered near the tea kettle that she put on the stove to boil, while the other measured loose tea into a metal tea ball. All the while, she chatted with Ash about everything from Pokémon to traveling. Looking wistfully out the window, she sighed, "I wish I could leave. Ever since I ended my Pokémon journey I can't leave. I guess my sisters think our badge should be the hardest to get. They think I'm the best in a Pokémon battle." With a clink, a tea cup fell on the table near Ash and with another clink the teapot fell right next to it. Every move she made was happy, but each was marked with sadness. As steam rose in gray spirals off his tea, he stifled his desire to learn more about the girl, like what her name was. The silence was broken when not-Misty slammed her fist on the table spilling Ash's tea. "I can't stand this! All day I'm stuck in this Gym where I watch my skin turn pale from lack of sun on every wall, and every day I battle weak defenseless trainers who have nothing better to do but make sure their little whatsit looks cute!" Slowly, Ash laid a hand on her enraged body, and she stopped shaking angrily. "Meet me at the dock tonight. Please, you have no where to go anyway." Yes, Ash thought, I will go with her. 


End file.
